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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28466853">One Prefect Christmas</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelofAlderaan/pseuds/OwlFeathers'>OwlFeathers (AngelofAlderaan)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Ball</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Christmas, Christmas Presents, F/M, Goku Black - Freeform, Hot Cocoa, Sledding, Snowball Fights</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:07:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,749</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28466853</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelofAlderaan/pseuds/OwlFeathers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Trunks finds a special treasure for Mai and Bulma when searching the city for supplies and makes their Christmas during the Goku Black Era a memorable one.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Future Trunks Briefs/Future Mai</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Naughty and Nice Gift Exchange</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>One Prefect Christmas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=RyeCereal">RyeCereal</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Grey smoke billowed up in soft wafts, disappearing into the dark sky, a sky that hadn't seen sun in what felt like ages. Below the ruined city skyline, a lone figure leapt and nearly flew over rebar, rubble, and debris, blue hair waving back as he went.  He had a sword strapped to his back over a jean jacket which sported a logo on the sleeve shoulders.  The red banana he wore around his neck had been pulled up to keep any toxic fumes that might have seeped out from destroyed pipes. In his hand he clutched a half full rucksack which was worn from use.  He could have flown, but masking his ki was what had kept him safe on these missions out for supplies.</p>
<p>On the horizon, he spotted the shell of a domed building he had always called home, half of it cracked open, exposed to the elements.  Its once cheerful yellow paint was peeling away, and the words 'Capsule Corp.' were faded to now read 'C  sul   orp.'  Sprinting across the once verdant yard, over chunks of concrete and steel, the man spotted the opening which he had earlier pulled a large piece of concrete over.  Frowning, he sped up.  Had it been moved?  No one inside was strong enough to budge it.  His heart raced, hoping for the best, expecting the worst.  Shoving the mass aside, he dashed down the stairs.  “Mother? Mai?”</p>
<p>He felt her ki before she even rounded the corner.  Over the years, her once brilliant azure hair had faded, becoming a more dusty blue.  She had taken to wearing it long, though she was more than capable of cutting and styling it herself, pulling it back in a more practical manner.  Had his father been with them still, he knew that he would have still found her beautiful, Kami knew that he did.  </p>
<p>She was wiping her hands on an old rag, concern on her face.  “Trunks? What is it?”  Without responding, he dropped his rucksack and pulled her into an embrace.  Smiling, knowingly, she placed her head on his chest.  “We're fine. Mai tried pushing the slab a bit a while ago when you didn't return as soon as she had hope.” He continued to hold her, full of the fear of losing the only family he had left. After a long moment, she pulled back, taking in her son.  “Trunks, you need to know if anything were to happen to me, I am okay with it.  It means I might have the chance to see your father again.”  That wistful smile he had seen so many times crossed her features once again.  Over the past several months she had spoken of him more often, much of it full of regret that she never told him how she actually felt.</p>
<p>He looked away, biting his lip, a trait he had got from Bulma, rather than his royal father.  “Mother, Father did so many unspeakable things, the chances that he got to go to Otherworld-”</p>
<p>She took his hands and squeezed them.  “Hope, Trunks.”</p>
<p>He nodded and brought his gaze back to meet hers.  “Right, hope.”</p>
<p>Behind him, soft boot steps rounded the corner.  The blue haired man turned to face the new presence with a smile.  “Mai!”  His mother squeezed his hands once more and let go.  </p>
<p>“Hey, how did it go?” A warm smile and the look of relief filled her features.  Together, they had been through so much, and today was special.  He hoped that the treasure he had found would be enough to help cheer them all during this dark time.</p>
<p>Grabbing his bag, he paced over to her and began to dig through it, placing items on the table nearby.  “Well, actually, I found one store that had been half hidden in an explosion.  A lot of the food had long since passed, but,”  He paused glancing up at the women, who were looking the cans over that he had already placed out, taking each one in hand and examining them.  “I found a couple special things.” Their attention was pulled away from the cans and back to Trunks. Slowly, he drew out a bag of rice.  The females practically leapt for joy, grabbing one another in excitement.</p>
<p>“Oh, Trunks!”</p>
<p>His face practically glowed.  This must have been what it felt like to be Santa, he thought.  “That's not even the best thing.” He grinned.  Reaching in, he pulled out a battered box and handed it to Mai.  </p>
<p>The general looked it over, fingers lightly stroking the letters and image of a dark liquid in a white mug.  When she looked up, her eyes glistened.  “Trunks.”  His mother came over to see what treasure he had brought the young woman, and she, too, nearly began to cry.</p>
<p>“How-”</p>
<p>The demi-Saiyan's features shifted to look more like his father, pride in his accomplishment.  “It was buried under a lot of rubble, and I found two others.” He reached in and handed two more even more rumpled looking boxes to her.</p>
<p>“I can't even remember the last time I had hot cocoa.”  She beamed at him.  After a short pause, her eyes grew wide and she squeaked. “I'll put the kettle on, we should have some now!”</p>
<p>He laughed a little, “I figured you might want to.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*****</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Trunks found Mai up on a solitary ledge outside the ruined Capsule Corp building, acting as lookout.  In the bowels of the building below held the last of the humans alive, living in basements and tunnels connected throughout the city.  Mai had taken it upon herself to fight for these people.</p>
<p>She was crouched low, gun aimed to the skyline, watching for any movement on the horizon.  From the rocky opening behind her, Trunks emerged with two steaming mugs of hot liquid.  Pacing up next to her, she turned her attention towards him and stood, gazing at the beverages in his hands.  Smiling, he offered her one, and without a word found a large chunk of rubble to sit on.  Mai followed him over, leaning her firearm against the now charred and broken balcony of Capsule Corp.  She took a seat next to him.</p>
<p>“It's funny to think that we'd be so happy over finding hot cocoa.”  She sighed and brought the steaming mug to her lips, blowing on the hot liquid.</p>
<p>The demi-Saiyan stared into his mug.  “I don't remember a time when things like this weren't a luxury.”    She looked away, feeling badly.  He knew that she had lived a whole other life before her accidental wish to become young again, turning she and her comrades into children once again, but he often forgot.  She didn't speak much of her past and when she did, it was full of shame and regret.  A wasted life she had said.  He took a long sip from his own mug and enjoyed the warm taste of the hot beverage.  He had to admit, this might have been the first time he had actually had hot cocoa.  His mother had once made her own version of the beverage during the time of the androids, but with milk and melted chocolate.  Even back then, things such as this were a luxury.  Now both milk and chocolate were but a memory.  While the hot beverage was watered down, it was a wonderful change from just water.  </p>
<p>Silence lingered for a time, then finally, Mai broke it.  “You know, hot cocoa has always been my favorite part of winter. Well, that and snow.”</p>
<p>The young man turned her way, smiling.  “Snow has always been mine, too.”</p>
<p>Shyly, Mai glanced up at him, a warm smile touching her lips. “Have you ever been sledding?”</p>
<p>He shook his head, blue hair tossing.  “No, but I always wanted to.”</p>
<p>Nodding, she looked away once more, sipping at her mug once more.  Silence lingered once again.  After a while she handed her empty cup back to Trunks.  “Thank you.  That was a wonderful treat.”  She stood once more and paced back to her position at the wall of rubble, picking up her gun and getting back into place.  He frowned at the dark sky, a sky that should have brought snow.  Gazing off to the distance, he saw white capped mountains far off.  Snow...</p>
<p>A sudden idea took over him and, placing the mugs down, he was over by Mai in lightning speed, grabbing her around her waist and lifting her off the ground.  “Trunks! What are you doing?” She yelped.  Her riffle clattered to the ground below as they took off.</p>
<p>“Giving you a Christmas gift.”</p>
<p>He could feel her frowning as she wiggled in his arms a bit. “But what about the others? Who's going to...”</p>
<p>Trunks cut her off, “We won't be gone long.”</p>
<p>The ruins of the cityscape melted into the forests. Trunks kept on glancing at the woman in his arms, making sure she was alright.  Mai watched the landscape below change with wonder.  “I didn't realize how freeing it was to fly.” She was speaking to herself, not realizing that Trunks superior Saiyan ears could hear her.  He found himself smiling as well.  Soon they approached the mountains and he took a surge up, towards the white peaks.  She chanced a glance back up his direction, eyes wide with surprise, then looked back down, watching the snow come into view below.</p>
<p>Finally they descended towards the cold ground below, Trunks gently placing the woman onto the soft snow.</p>
<p>“Trunks, this...” She trailed off looking around at the mountainside covered in crystalline wonder.  A puff of white stuff hit her shoulder and broke away into a thousand pieces.  Dark hair whipping around she turned to face where her attack came from, to find Trunks with another snowball, smirking from ear to ear wickedly, looking so much like his father.  A wide smile filled her own face, and she bent down to scoop up her own balls of snow.  Another ball whizzed towards her, but this time she dodged it, giggling, and coming up to return the volley.  Her own aim was true and caught him dead center of his chest.</p>
<p>The blue haired young man glanced down, eyes wide.  “Good shot.”</p>
<p>She grinned back,  “I used to torment Shu and Pilaf when it snowed.  I have got years of practice.”  She bent down, gathering more snow in her hand.  For a good ten minutes, the two slung handfuls of snow at one another, laughing and forgetting all their troubles.  Finally, Trunks fell back with mirth, landing hard on the soft snow.  She paced over to him, beaming, and offered him a hand up.  He returned the smile and took her hand, not really needing, it but glad of an opportunity to hold it.  </p>
<p>Standing side by side a long moment, he noticed her shiver a little.  “Oh, you're freezing. Let me warm you up.”  He wrapped an arm around her, and glanced down at her. His Saiyan nature made him hotter blooded than humans, and she instantly looked a bit warmer, but after a bit, he noticed her shudder once more.  “Okay, hold on, let me try something else.”  He raised his ki to just below Super Saiyan, white aura shimmering around them both.  Instantly, he could tell she felt warmer, and the color came  back to her cheeks.</p>
<p>“Thank you.”  A gentle smile filled her features.  He returned it, then looked about the mountainside.  “We should probably go back.”</p>
<p>He nodded, disappointed that this time had to end.  “Yeah.”  He was no longer looking her way, caught away in thought for the moment.  Why did Black delight in destruction?  His world had known little peace in his lifetime, and it was rare moments like these that he fought desperately for.</p>
<p>His thoughts were cut off by Mai's soft voice.  “You know, it's too bad we don't have a sled.  That would have been fun.” </p>
<p>“Huh?”  He turned back to face her once more.</p>
<p>“A sled.  It would have been fun.”  She repeated, looking wistfully at the surrounding snow.  He knit he brows and looked around.</p>
<p>Letting go of her, he paced over to a line of trees.  “Hold on. I have an idea.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*****</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It wasn't a perfect sled, but it worked to get them going.  Trunks had used his ki to laser cut a tree trunk, creating a board long enough for them both to sit on.  Now they were flying down the hill, Trunks using his ki to steer them as they went.  Mai giggled with joy as they raced down the mountainside.  Up ahead, was the end of the snowline.  “Um, Trunks?”</p>
<p>He wrapped his arms around her tightly.  “Hold on tight!”</p>
<p>“Trunks!”  She yelled.  The wet earth and grass rapidly approached them, but before they could hit it, they rose off the ground and shot towards the city, leaving the makeshift sled behind to clatter to the earth, Trunks holding Mai in his arms, laughing as they rose.  “That wasn't funny, Trunks Briefs!”</p>
<p>“I dunno, I thought your reaction was priceless.”</p>
<p>Before long, they reached the ruins of Capsule Corp once more, setting her down gently on the rubble filled balcony of the building. Mai shyly looked away from the young demi-Saiyan.  “Thank you for that.  Today was a perfect Christmas.”</p>
<p>He beamed back, but a hint of pink was flushing his own cheeks.  “I'm glad.  I only wish I could do more.”  He glanced away and suddenly felt her lean in and peck him on the cheek.</p>
<p>“It was wonderful.  Merry Christmas, Trunks.”</p>
<p>Blue eyes flicked up to meet hers, face now red.  “Merry Christmas."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*****</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the darkness, he found his mother sitting in her old lab chair, back to the doorway.  Padding in, he stood behind her, and realized she was crying.  In her hand was the one photo of his father she had from before he had been killed.  His mother from the past had been sure to take a few of he and his father during his journey back in time, but this photo, this was the one that meant the most to her.  He was standing next to her awkwardly looking away and she was leaning next to him, grinning and throwing up two fingers in a peace sign. His grandmother had taken the candid during an evening Bulma had been barbecuing for the family. If he looked closely, he could see his father blushing.  It was clear that he cared for her and couldn't express his feelings for her.  </p>
<p>He stood by her a long moment, then decided to go, respecting this private moment.  “I remembered when I had hot cocoa last.”  He turned back and knelt in front of her, looking up at her bowed head.  For a beat, she didn't speak again, but when she did, it was quiet.  “One night before Christmas, you father and I had been star gazing out on my deck.”  She had told him they had enjoyed doing this together, and was how they had drawn close.  “I caught a bit of a chill and he brought me in to my room.  He left me alone and I got quite upset at him, but when he returned, he had two cups of cocoa.  He had gone out of his way to ask my mother to help him get me a warm drink to help me feel better.  That was the night I realized that he might have fallen in love with me.”  Her blue eyes, now darker with age, gazed down at her son.</p>
<p>Taking her into his arms, Trunks held her a long time. When he pulled away, he brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face.  “Come with me.”</p>
<p>Bulma frowned,  “What?”</p>
<p>A wide smile filled his features.  “Come back with me to see him again.”</p>
<p>Her eyes grew wide, then her face lit up.  “Oh, that would be wonderful!”  Then just as quickly, he features dropped once more.  “But what if he doesn't want to see me?  And if I did end up with him, my  past self might not like me-”</p>
<p>Her son cut him off.  “Just come with me.  I think you will be surprised.”</p>
<p>She nodded.  “You just made this the best Christmas ever.”  She embraced her son once more.  “Thank you.”</p>
<p>Placing his head on hers, he sighed.  The world may have been falling apart around them, but for this brief moment, everything was right.  “Merry Christmas, Mom.”</p>
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